Reporter

After suffering two knee injuries during her freshman and sophomore years of high school, Haley Vicente was unsure of her future on the soccer field.

However, after two extensive rehabs that took a year and a half of her life, the freshman forward for the CSU Bakersfield women’s soccer team is making a name for herself on

the Roadrunners by tying CSUB scoring records and earning Western Athletic Conference Player of the Week from Oct. 5 to Oct. 11.

According to Vicente, one of her greatest accomplishments was her return to soccer after tearing the ACL in her left knee during her freshman year at Arbor View High School and tearing the same ligament in her right knee the following year.

“It was really tough [recovering from the injury], but you have to keep your mental awareness strong, keep fighting and never let down,” Vicente said. “It is a setback, but

you can always come through it.”

It took her nine months to rehab and return to action after each incident, but she was able to return. Even throughout her rehabilitation process, Vicente never lost her passion for the game and said she felt no hesitation when stepping back onto that field for the first time since the injury.

“I was confident in the way I rehabbed it and my legs are strong enough,” she said. “There was a little hesitation, but I think those are just first-game jitters.”

Vicente bounced back in her senior year and helped lead Arbor View High to three straight state titles. She finished with 43 goals and 23 assists for the Aggies. Vicente then decided to come to CSUB and, though she has had a slow start, she has shown promise as a talented newcomer.

She scored five goals in a two game span, with four of them coming against Chicago State on Oct. 11 to tie an all-time school record and all-conference record for most goals in a single game. She also tied the all-time school record for most points with eight.

“It was really cool,” Vicente said. “I didn’t even know that I did that until after the game, but it was a really good experience.”

Robert Andrade coached Vicente since the age of six. She credits Andrade with shaping her into the player she is today. Vicente also credits Curneen with taking her game to the next level by pushing her to find new limits.

For the season, Vicente has played solidly with 14 of her 20 shots being on goal and five scores, four of which came in her breakout game against Chicago State.

Freshman center midfielder Madi Giammona said that “having a teammate like Haley has been amazing.”

She describes Vicente as her best friend both on and off the field. Giammona recalls Vicente scoring on a great header when their club teams played against one another. The girls were instantly impressed with each other, and they soon developed a bond. Giammona described her friend as someone who always has a positive attitude, no matter the circumstances.

She and the rest of the women’s team finish out their season against Grand Canyon University before the WAC tournament opener on Nov. 5 at the Main Soccer Field.